A 25-year-old Tampa man is facing multiple charges after authorities say he forced his way out of his cell, grabbed a deputy’s Taser, and injured two officers during a chaotic struggle inside the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center in Centerville. Jonathan Matthew Piriou had only been booked into the facility two days earlier, and he later faced additional charges after the September 12 altercation.
According to WBRZ, a deputy first attempted to deploy a Taser on Piriou, but the deployment was unsuccessful. Authorities allege that Piriou then forced his way out of his cell and into a hallway during the struggle, where he found himself trapped behind a locked door. Officers say he charged at a deputy and attacked responding officers before gaining control of the Taser himself, according to the same report. Several deputies ultimately subdued him, and he was returned to his cell.
Two deputies received medical treatment for injuries sustained during the altercation, the station’s report notes. Piriou was formally arrested on Sunday morning in connection with the incident, adding to a booking history that began just two days prior.
How the Case Started Days Before the Struggle
Piriou’s presence at the Centerville jail traces back to September 10, when he was arrested at 7:12 p.m. by the Franklin Police Department on a charge of unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, according to St. Mary Now. He was booked, processed, and transported to the parish jail, and Sheriff’s Office booking records show he was formally logged into the facility at 11:43 p.m. under booking number LEC0020261149…